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Sunday, November 24, 2013

The trial of faith of St. Therese of Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (January 2, 1873 – September 30, 1897)

I have read St. Thérèse's, Story of a Soul, but never really understood
it very well, and why she is so important to the Catholic Faith. I couldn't seem to understand her spiritually, even though the book is simply written.

One day at Mass, Fr. Dennis talked about another book, The trial of
faith of St. Thérèseof Lisieux, by Frederick L. Miller, STD and how it
was such an important book to him. I bought the book. It is amazing. It explains Thérèse's spirituality, so that I am having a far easier time
understanding her special faith.

Thérèse suffered intensely, especially in the last 18 months of her
life, and she offered that suffering up for people who had lost their
Faith, especially priests.

"Throughout her trial, Thérèse saw herself mysteriously identified with
those among her contemporaries who had lost the Catholic faith. It would
seem that Thérèse, while never wavering in her profession of the Faith,
was permitted to experience the darkness of unbelief that afflicts the
modern world. She came to understand interiorly that her trial gave her
an opportunity to offer herself for the salvation of all faithless
souls. We must recall again that Thérèse had solemnly committed herself
to work for priests and in particular, for Hyacinthe Loyson, the priest
who had lost his faith. In the Story of a Soul, Thérèse identifies
herself with apostates and others who had sinned against the Faith."

I am only on page 67 of the book and am really looking forward to finishing it.